Hat-finishing machine



April 3, 1962 l. BUSCH ETAL 3,028,057

HAT-FINISHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l IlIl; l 60 Z t 30 /4 n' fnl' wir et 'Le-"aw fr l 46 INVENTORS. lkw/vs 505e# /V G50/PGE rac/f6@ April 3, 1962 l. BuscH ETAI.

HAT-FINISHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OCt. 8, 1959 /v R.. v. 6 m www ,M L W0 www vw 0 me@ 4 9 am wf 6 V6 MM C a w /o E ||I|p mi United States 3,028,057 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 3,028,057 HAT-FINISHING MACHINE Irving Busch, 232-04 131st Ave., Laurelton, N.Y., and Nathaniel George Tucker, 92-1'7 68th Ave., Forest Hills, N.Y.

Filed Oct. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 845,167 3 Claims. (Cl. 223-20) The present invention relates generally to hat-manufacturing equipment and in particular to a combined ironing, pouncin'g, greasing and ragging machine for finishing hats.

In the manufacture of hats it is customarily necessary to perform a long series of separate finishing operations upon the hat. These operations includ-e ironing of the hat; pouncing, which is a type of polishing operation performed with an abrasive paper; greasing which involves the application with or without heat of an oleaginous substance to the hat; and ragging, or rubbing down the hat with a piece of cloth. The pouncing, greasing and ragging are best performed with a vibrating hat-making tool. In the past it has been necessary either to perform each of these operations by hand, to employ a separate machine for each of the aforesaid distinct operations or to use a machine which required the cumbersome changing of machine heads.

Accordingly, it is broadly an object of this present invention to provide a hat-finishing machine capable of performing the various operations of ironing, pouncing, greasing, and ragging. In particular, it is an object of this invention to provide a hat-finishing machine which is capable of performing each of the aforesaid hat-finishing operations in turn by the use of one single machine without the necessity of changing the working heads on the machine.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating further objects, features, and advantages of this invention, there is provided a hat-finishing machine having an operating head which includes a hat iron projecting therefrom. A hat-making tool is also provided, there being means on the hat iron and the hat-finishing tool which cooperate to removably and replaceably mount the hat-finishing tool on the hat iron. The hat iron has a forwardly directed ironing face which contacts the hat during the ironing operation and which is heated in accordance with ironing requirements. The hat-finishing tool when mounted upon the hat iron covers over the heated ironing face of the hat iron so as to present to the hat a diierent type of operating surface in accordance with the differing requirements ofthe pouncing, greasing, or ragging operations. Further, during the greasing operation the proximity of the hat-finishing tool to the heated ironing face of the iron provides a convenient method of keeping the oleaginous material which is applied to the hat during the greasing operation in a molten state so as to be more readily transferable to the hat.

The foregoing brief summary, as well as additional features, objects, and advantages of this invention may best tbe appreciated iby reference to the yfollowing detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

PIG. 1 is an elevational view of the operative portion of a hat-making machine in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the operating head of the hat-finishing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view o-f the vibrator and hat iron of the operating head of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a similar perspective view of the vibrator and the electric iron of FIG. 3 with the hat-finishing tool mounted in place upon the hat iron;

FIG. S is a vertical cross-section of the operating head and hat-finishing tool of FIG. 4 taken along the lines 5--5 thereof; and,

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-section of the operating head and hat-finishing tool of FIG. 4 taken along the lines 6-6 thereof.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates generally the operative portion of a hat-finishing machine of generally conventional construction, including a base 10 and a drive shaft 12 which is connected in any Well-known manner to be driven by an instantly reversible motor. A gear housing 14 transmits the motion of drive shaft 12 to an arbor 16. The arbor 16 in turn rotatably drives a chuck, generally designated by the reference numeral 18 which is employed to mount a hat block 20 `for rotation therewith. The hat which is to be finished in the hat-nishing machine is mounted over the hat block 20 and rotates therewith. Mounted opposite the hat block 20 and movable into operative relationship to the hat H is an operating head designated generally 22. The operating head 22 is supported by a supporting post 24 which in turn is mounted upon a traversing mechanism designed to move the operating head 22 back and forth through a traversing movement relative to the hat H as the latter rotates.

The traversing mechanism includes a gear wheel 26 rotatably mounted on a frame 28 rising from the base 10 of the hat-making machine and driven by a worm gear 30 on the arbor 16. The gear wheel 26 drives a recipro. cating crank movement, generally designated 32, which operates to reciprocate a slide bar 34 slidably mounted in a pair of bearings 36 and 38. A traverse bar 40, upon which the supporting post 24 is mounted, is itself rotat-v ably mounted upon a shaft 42 which rises from the bearing 38 and has a rack-and-pinion connection to the reciprocating slide bar 34 such that the shaft 42 is rotated in alternating directions in response to reciprocation of slide bar 34 to pivot the traverse bar 40, back and forth through an arc which is effective to move the operating head 22 through its traverse motion.

For further movement thereof, the operating head 22 is pivotally mounted upon the supporting post 24 by means of a pivot assembly including a rst link 44 which is pivotally mounted on supporting post 24, a second link 46 which is mounted at the free end of first link 44 in pivotal relationship thereto and which supports the operating head 22, and a third link 48 which is rigidly secured to the `iirst link 44 and is formed with a springengaging hook 48a. A spring 50 is secured to hook 48a and is secured to the second link 46 to bias the second link and the operating head 22 mounted thereon for pivotal movement toward the hat H. A further degree of motion is provided by a shaft 52 which extends vertically through the operating head 22 between a bracket 54 and a base post 56 to mount the operating head 22 for pivotal movement relative to the second link 46.

In accordance with the present invention, the operating head 22 includes a housing 60 within which is mounted a vibrator of any well known design, and a hat iron 62 which projects forwardly from the housing 60. When the operating head 22 in accordance with this invention is to be used for the ironing operation, it is in the condition illustrated in FIG. 3, with the hat iron 62 fully exposed. Making use of the various degrees of motion provided by the above-described operating head 22, the operating head is moved toward the hat H as the latter rotates and a forwardly-directed heated ironing face 62C of the hat iron 62 is brought into ironing contact therewith and is subsequently traversed thereacross.

When it is desired to convert the operatingV head 22 to the pouncing, greasing, or ragging operations, a hat-nishing tool 64 is mounted in place over the hat iron 62 by means of opposed tongues 64m which slide into engagement with grooves 62a formed in the opposed side faces of the hat iron 62. Tapered holes 62h may be provided on one or both of the opposed faces of the hat iron which cooperate with locking screws 66 which pass through apertures in the side wall of the hat-finishing tool 64 adapted to thread into the tapped holes 62h to lock the hat-finishing tool 64 in place on the hat iron 62. The hat-finishing tool 64, when thus mounted in place over the hat iron 62 is in direct mechanical contact with the vibrator and covers over the ironing face 62C so as to present a different type of working or finishing tace to the hat H when the operating head 22 is brought into operative relationship thereto. Speciiically, the type operating face depends upon what kind of hat-working or hattinishing material is mounted upon the hat-nishing tool 64, this material being variously selected in accordance with the requirements of the pouncing, greasing or ragging operation then in progress. In each case, however, the hat-working material consists of a strip M wound upon a supply reel 68 rotatably mounted on an axle pin 69 extending between upwardly projecting spaced arms 7 0 and 72 of the tool 64, and is reeled across the tool 64 underneath guide bars 74 and 76 and is wound up again after use on a take-up reel 78 rotatably mounted on an axle pin 79 extending between downwardly projecting spaced arms 80 and 82. A take-up reel knob 84 is secured to axle pin 79 for rotating the take-up reel 78 to wind the hat-working material M thereon. The arms 70, 72 and 80, 82 all curve backwardly to keep the hat-working material M tensed across the Working pad 86 of the hatiinishing tool 64. Thus, with the hat-nishing tool 64 is connected to the hat iron 62 the hat-fmishing tool 64 may be vibrated by the vibrator in housing 60 for the most eicient pouncing, greasing and ragging.

The sectional views of FIG. and 6 serve best to illustra-te the heating ele-ment 90 which is mounted behind the ironing face 62C of the hat iron 62 and which is energized by means of an electric Wire 92 to heat the face 62e in accordance `with hat-ironing requirements. It may also be appreciated from the aforesaid sectional views that when the hat-inishing tool 64 is mounted over the hat iron 62 to convert the operating head 22 from the ironing operation to the greasing operation, the proximity of the hat-finishing tool 64 to the heated ironing face 62e results in transmission of heat from the ironing face 62e through the pad 86 of hat-finishing tool 64 to the hatworking material M which is fed thereacross and which is in contact with the hat H. This is especially advantageous since, for the greasing operation, the material M employed is a strip of cloth impregnated with oleaginous greasing materia-l, and the heat applied to the material M is efective to keep the oleaginous material in a liquid state so that it flows better and is more effectively transferred to the hat I-I in accordance with the requirements of the greasing operation.

It will now be appreciated that the operating head of a hat-iinishing machine in accordance with this invention may be readily employed with but minor modifications .for pouncing, greasing, and ragging as well as for ironing of a hat in accordance with conventional hat-manufacturing practice. Advantageously, the hat-finishing tool of this invention is readily removable and replaceable upon the operating head and thus eliminates the need for changing over to another operating head or switching to an entirely different machine when performing the aforesaid operations successively upon each hat in the course of nishing operations.

In addition, the proximity of the hat-iinishing tool to the heating face of the hat iron is especially advantageous during the greasing operation for applying heat to the hat-Working material so as to liquify the oleaginous matei rial with which the latter is impregnated and thus achieve a more effective application thereof to the hat.

The particulars of the foregoing description are provided merely for purposes of illustration and are subject to a considerable latitude of modiiication without departing from the novel teachings disclosed herein. Accord` ingly, the scope of this invention is intended to be limited only as defined in the appended claims, which should be accorded a breadth of interpretation consistent with this specification.

What we claim is:

1. In a hat-finishing machine, an operating head including a hat iron xed to said operating head and having an ironing face, means for heating said hat iron, a hat-finishing tool including a removable support adapted to be positioned in proximity to said ironing face of said hat iron and feeding means on said removable support adapted to feed at least one hat-working material across said hatnishing tool in confronting relation to said ironing face of said hat iron, and slidable interengaging means -on said hat iron and on said support cooperating to removably mount said hat-finishing tool on said hat iron in an operative position wherein said hat-Working material may be fed into confronting relation with said hat iron for heating by the latter and for finishing a hat, said hat-finishing tool being removable such that said ironing `face of hat iron may be employed for ironing said hat.

2. In a hat-finishing machine, an operating head ncluding a hat iron fixed to said operating head and having an ironing face, means for heating said hat iron, a hatfinishing tool including a removable support adapted to be positioned in proximity to said ironing face of said hat iron and feeding means on said removable support adapted to feed at least one hat-working material across said hat-iinishing tool in confronting relation to said ironing face of said hat iron, and slidable interengaging tongue and groove means on said hat iron and said support respectively and cooperating to removably mount said hatnishing tool on said hat iron in an operative position wherein said hat-Working material may be fed into confronting relation With said hat iron for heating by the latter and for finishing a hat, said hat-finishing tool beingV removable such that said ironing face of hat iron may be employed for ironing said hat.

3. In a hat-inishing machine, an operating head includ,- ing a hat iron fixed to said operating head and having an ironing face, means for heating said hat iron, a hat-finishing tool including a removable support adapted to be positioned in proximity to said ironing face of said hat iron and feeding means on said removable support, adapted to feed at least one hat-Working material across said hatnishing tooll in confronting relation to said ironing face of said hat iron, said feeding means including a pair of reels journaled on said support in spaced parallel relation and adapted to be positioned at opposite sides of said ironing face of said hat iron, and slidable interengaging tongue and groove means on said hat iron and on said support cooperating to removably mount said hat-finishing toolk on said hat iron in an operative position wherein said hat-working material `may be fed into confronting relation with said hat iron for heating by the latter and for iinishing a hat, said hat-finishing tool being removable such that said ironing face of hat iron may be employed for ironing said hat.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McGinnis M- Mar. 10, 1953 

